The present invention relates to equipment service vehicles. The present invention also relates to vehicles that can communicate with a computer system external to the vehicle.
Modern vehicles have become increasingly complex and difficult to maintain. In order to enable more efficient vehicle maintenance, it is desirable to be able to accurately diagnose malfunctioning subsystems, such as engine systems, transmission systems, and so on, as well as specific vehicle parts or components. When a malfunction is not properly diagnosed, the result is typically that parts which are fully operational are repaired or replaced, that parts which are repairable are replaced, and/or that parts which are not fully operational are not repaired or replaced. Accurate diagnoses therefore allow more efficient vehicle maintenance by avoiding unnecessary repairs and replacements, and by enabling necessary repairs and replacements to be made.
Co-pending application Ser. No. 09/500,506 discloses a network-based on-board diagnostic system capable of performing diagnostic tests to assess vehicle operational readiness and, if a problem exists, to quickly fault isolate to a replaceable item. This system offers numerous advantages, for example, this system makes it possible to diagnose vehicle malfunctions without necessarily bringing the vehicle to a maintenance depot. Indeed, the services offered by this system are available wherever and whenever the vehicle is in operation.
However, once a vehicle problem is diagnosed, there remains the potential that the vehicle may be out of service for an extended period of time. Many times the part is unique to the specific equipment service vehicle and must be ordered directly from the manufacturer. It would be desirable simplify the process of ordering replacement parts once a vehicle problem has been diagnosed.
In addition to replacing and repairing parts, equipment service vehicles often have routine and preventative maintenance performed at regular intervals. In many instances, routine maintenance is only scheduled if the operator notices that it is time for the maintenance. However, operators may be busy with other duties and forget to schedule the equipment service vehicle for maintenance. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have an equipment service vehicle that can schedule routine maintenance with little or no input from the operator or other person responsible for maintaining the vehicle.
In addition to routine maintenance, equipment service vehicles may be the subjects of a recall. Currently, communicating recall information to the owners of equipment service vehicles is typically done using sales records and general advertisements. However, these methods may not reach those owners that purchased the vehicle used or have moved to a new location since the original sale. In many recall situations, the number of owners that do not receive the recall information or do not act on the information once it is received is substantial. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to communicate the recall information to a computer on the equipment service vehicle that may inform the owner of the recall and may even automatically set up a service appointment to comply with the recall.
Even in situations where servicing of a vehicle is not needed, it is often desirable to be able to assess and monitor vehicle performance from remote locations. For example, in the context of a fleet of vehicles, it is sometimes desirable to be able to quickly and easily obtain information about the fleet of vehicles without necessarily having to bring the vehicle into a service depot.
There is an ongoing need for equipment service vehicles and related method and systems that make maintaining and servicing the vehicle simpler and easier. Decreasing the amount of time spent on service and repair of the vehicle decreases the costs associated with maintaining and owning the vehicle. There is also an ongoing need for methods and systems that facilitate assessing and monitoring vehicle performance from remote locations.